Even better if: If this was limited to the best ten tracks it could’ve been a real contender for #1 spot.

Stand out track: Bright Lights Bigger City

9. Interpretting the Masters Volume 1: A Tribute to Daryl Hall and John Oates by The Bird and The Bee

Check out if you enjoy: Hot Chip, LCD Soundsystem, Rilo KileyGood because: Impossible to keep still to, rightly places pop melody at the core of dance music. Even better if: Some tracks seem to end a little weakly with a rushed fade out so greater attention to closing the deal would be well received. Stand out track: Heard It On The Radio

8. If Shacking Up Is All You Want To Do by The Roadside Graves

Check out if you enjoy: Ray Lamontagne, Gomez, Bruce SpringsteenGood because: Simple, rootsy whisky soaked tales of America. The Dude would like this.Even better if: It was five tracks shorter, quantity over quality leaves the album a little bloated.Stand out track: The History of Lilies

7. Nice, Nice, Very Nice by Dan Mangan

Check out if you enjoy: Willy Mason, Ray Lamontagne, Good because: shows a tremendous flair for infectious choruses.Even better if: Showed a little more variation, follows a similar template throughout Stand out track: Sold

Good because: Strikes a nice balance between the majesty of Ray’s voice on slower numbers and rootsy, uptempo stomps.

Even better if: It may well be that some tracks are slow burners but there does feel like a trio of fillers lurk on this record. Stand out track: Are we really through?

5. Tiger Suit by KT Tunstall

Check out if you enjoy: Kings of Leon, Beck, Willy Mason

Good because: Shows a progression on previous albums with a willingness to experiment whilst still delivering classic songwriting.

Even better if: A predictable result of an experimental approach is that the album doesn’t hold together. Stand out track: Golden Frames

4. High Violet by The National

Check out if you enjoy: Wilco, Interpol, Editors

Good because: A vocal seemingly born to haunt the foreboding, paranoid tone of this album gives Berninger the chance to provide his finest performance to date.

Even better if: The first half of the album (opener apart) is lacking in pace and results in an already slow burning album taking far too long to ignite.

Stand out track: Bloodbuzz Ohio

3. Broken Bells by Broken Bells

Check out if you enjoy: The Shins, Gnarls Barkley, Gorillaz

Good because: An unlikely collaboration between two of the most innovative interesting characters around could easily fall a little flat under weight of expectation – this doesn’t.

Even better if: In a way it is so consistently good it can wash over you, it lacks a stand out track which hooks in your consciousness. A very harsh criticism admittedly. Stand out track: The Mall and The Misery (hard to choose – see above)

2. I Speak Because I Can by Laura Marling

Check out if you enjoy: Johnny Flynn, Mumford and Sons, Joni MitchellGood because: Proves immune to trends and contextual influence, could have been written in any era.Even better if: Hard to criticise anything but would hope for some variation on future releases. Stand out track: Darkness Descends